CASTING off masks: Racists, nationalists, hangers on, attack Nazhat Shameem's Privileged Caste comment while choosing to kiss Rabuka

9/3/2017

Fijileaks: The choice of words might be inappropriate but bogus indigenous rights claims were deployed by Rabuka and Speight to inflict the cancer of racism, mostly against Indo-Fijians - NEVER AGAIN; we have said before, if you are so passionate about defending indigenous rights why have you been hiding in the bushes since 2006 - now the Rabuka Horror Show is on the march again, CRY FIJI
Recently, Rabuka claimed in Australia that he did his coup for Fiji. What a load of cow dung; he did it for himself, a select group of chiefs and commoners, and had exploited indigenous rights slogan to beat up and bully Indo-Fijians into submission. We do not agree with Shameem's choice of language but it is a fact that many have exploited indigenous rights to spread racism in Fiji; FFP can be beaten at the polls but not by latching onto indigenous rights to whip up native Fijians into a frenzy
Victor Lal: Where was Rabuka since 2006, weeping and crying for his pension? We stood up against the 2006 coup; even Mahendra Chaudhry had run and become Interim Finance Minister, and Sodelpa contested election under the 2013 Constitution. A coup is a coup! Sodelpa vice-president wants Shameem to apologise and resign; he (and others calling for Shameem's resignation) should also call on Rabuka to resign for the torture, violence, religious bigotry and racism he meted out to Indo-Fijians and is hiding behind IMMUNITY. We may recall that shortly after being acquitted of inciting mutiny against Bainimarama, Rabuka when asked to comment on the 2006 December coup, said he had no comment to offer. He also claimed outside the Fiji High Court that he was done with politics and would pursue a peaceful career bottling water. Now he is back, swimming with the tide of indigenous nationalism, waiting on the "political shores", to hold Indo-Fijians down under water as second class citizens in the land of their birth - FIJI
Caste: any class or group of people who inherit exclusive privileges or are perceived as socially distinct

Rajend Naidu

9/3/2017 08:06:24 pm

Editor,
Pointing Out Bad Governance
German president Angela Merkel said Germany and Turkey will remain friends despite the current row. She said in a speech in parliament that Germany had " profound difference about democracy, justice, freedom of press and constitutional reform in Turkey " ( DW News 10/3 ).
Turkey's president and his political sidekicks have taken umbrage to this. They don't like the spotlight shown on bad governance in Turkey.
We have gone through that after every coup, beginning with the racist-fascist Rabuka coup of 1987.
It's been the same story with the other coups, including the Bainimarama coup of 2006.
Anyone who criticised the coup as a power-grab and rape of democracy was seen as an enemy of Fiji and accused of not understanding the Fijian political situation.
It was just a justification for the unlawful takeover of power and the imposition of arbitrary, autocratic rule on the people of Fiji.
Friends of Fiji had a duty to point out the departure from the norms of democratic good governance.
I applaud the alternative media/blog sites on Fiji for doing that when the voice of people in Fiji was suppressed by ruthless post coup regimes.
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

Siti

10/3/2017 01:11:52 am

You and Shameem are inciting violence. Its now no other way. Recognition of indigenous right is a right to recognition and a right to preservation of who we are in our native home. That's all. When that is blocked and Fijians are pushed with their back on a wall there will be no other way but to revolt. That will be worse. How will Fijians be a privilege race by that recognition. Have you driven around Viti Levu to see who holds and commands the economy around Fiji? Its all Indian business, and the Indian race have and will continue to contribute economically, politically and in all ways to the growth of the Fiji nation. Now to avoid disruption of that growth we need to maintain harmony in Fiji. And that harmony need to be positively worked on by addressing the imbalance ( which you and Shameem are labelling as racist). When worse comes to worse - you and others who now have this unique privilege through media and insights to "strike a balance" in your contribution, have yourself to blame. Fijians are a generous race but as shown in past, things can turn nasty very quickly if not handled sensitively.

What priveledge?

10/3/2017 08:18:11 am

Siti, I thought we have come through a whole cycle since 1987 on indigenous rights. Then too economy was all about Indian businesses. So what did SVT and SDL deliver to indigenous race from 1987 to 2006 i.e. the long 19 years?

How many millions have been invested into indigenous race from same Indian sweat and blood earned accumulated tax revenue that was the back bone to Fiji's economy prior to 1987?

Now all ministries civil servants are largely Indigenous Fijians, Parliament is same, and addressing the imbalance, are you suggesting the possessed ALTA land that sits with those land owning units have created the imbalance to the economy that we can call not racist?

Fact is you stand up to the Chinese and your own military and NOT the Indians. This is where you are missing the point. It is not Kaidia. It is the Chiefs military.

Refugee

10/3/2017 11:46:10 pm

Dear Siti, we more than others, immediately understand your sentiments and your underlying threats - having experienced it, first-hand, and the full brand of it, in the aftermaths of 2000 mayhem. Please - spare us the grief. But we also experienced the true generosity of the itaukei people whilst we survived as refugees at the Girmit Center.

Please carefully listen and read the totality of Ambassador Shameem’s full speech. She makes a lot of sense. As far as the ordinary kai-india folks are concerned if the indigenous rights don’t discriminate us, than that’s all fine with us and we can go back to our teitei and business stalls. Now instead of focusing on us ordinary folks, focus on the present ruling class (or caste or cabal).

And seriously focus on the 2013 Constitution (which we feel is Fraud and Imposed anyway) and sort-out all of the nitty-gritty, meanings of indigenous rights, in the 2013 Constitution and how it differs, from the meanings derived by the vanua -world-view of the itaukei.

Siti, you may remember, it was a battered, kai-india farmer, Chandrika Prasad, who sued the state and resurrected the 1997 Constitution – why can’t it be you, Siti, this time around? Peace and Love!

Noni

11/3/2017 09:50:52 pm

It is true, the 'Fijians' are generous, as a people, no other race can compare to the ítaukeis' genuine spirit of respect of others, commitment to ideals, perseverance of harmony and in honouring 'others' whom the FFP by imposition, allowed to be called Fijian. The way forward for this great people will always be with their communal elders and leaders, not government, I repeat, not government. The key to prosperity, parity, freedom, is with their kingdoms - the vanua. It must be preserved, protected, nurtured, by the people led by their Chiefs, not by government.

Fijian Indian warrior

13/3/2017 03:35:53 am

Siti, don't make the mistake of thinking Indians won't strike back with full force , As of the last hour ,there are some 1.3 billion Indians on Earth vs 300,000 mixed African,Solomon islanders,freed American slaves pretending to be the first people of Fiji. I warn you Siti , 30 years after Rabuka, the Indians no longer stand and get beaten.They will take you and your big mouth out for good. I'M PUTTING YOU AND PEOPLE LIKE YOU ON NOTICE.
Need you be reminded of the Golan heights. Fully equipped soldiers vs village idiots in black pyjamas,no helmets,no body armour, no bullet proof vests...you know who won there.

Rustam

13/3/2017 02:18:16 pm

NO one can define your culture better than you, yourself, Siti.

That’s the true meaning of the term –‘self-determination’. And if you can’t dance around the issues of ‘self-determination’ yourself, brother, or are finding it hard to do so, than that’s NOT the fault of the ordinary folks, kai-india out there, (who are merely minding their own survival). The kai-india who have been victims of two atrocious coups themselves, more than understand your sentiments of one’s loss of identity and/or their sense of belonging - and are together with you in spirit opposing those who oppress your God-given rights to your ‘indigenousness’.

Focus, like the Refugee says above, on the FRAUD and IMPOSED 2013 Constitution of Khaiyum - just like the whole of Fiji’s intelligentsia did focus on the FRAUD and IMPOSED 1990 Constitution of Rabuka. That’s the way to effective, intelligent resistance.

In the same token, Noni, I’d much rather be called an ‘Indo-Fijian’, than a ‘Fijian’, which I feel is much better suited to an indigenous Fijian. But all these terms, titles, references, inferences, to us, about us and only a little of which was ‘self-determined’ and much, too much of it IMPOSED upon us by the various ruling castes of our time.

Politics has always been about a handful of our people pretending to help US but are indeed helping THEMSELVES – Shamelessly linning their own pockets, Chori is the only constant. Rabuka, Qarase, Chaudhary, Bainimarama and Khaiyum are all birds of the Chor-colored feathers. Let us not get too worked up about it.

Welcome Home

10/3/2017 09:05:29 am

We seem to have overlooked the fact that 1997 constitution contained the phrase "paramount interest". This was quite deliberate but was soon misread/interpreted as meaning 'supreme interest". It might need revisiting with sensitivity and allowance for the shift towards equality for all especially with regard to women and children's rights. 'A parity of esteem' was used in the Northern Ireland/Eire peace process. A most felicitous and delicate use of the English language but there are flies in the ointment there once more. Next time around greater emphasis has to be placed upon gender rights regardless of caste or class. The 21st century beckons and the world is leaving Fijians behind. Parity of Esteem is required by all parties to negotiations. That is how the 1996/97 consultations found an accommodation. Violence will tear the very fabric of Fiji for good leaving the poorest and most vulnerable bereft.

Paramount ?

11/3/2017 10:16:38 am

That interest was paramount to the extent that they will not be above or below other races but will be equal to other races in Fiji.

So it is the Chiefs (GCC) that after consultation provided that respect under the 1997 constitution.

10/3/2017 10:32:25 am

Please note that the Indian populace in 2017 is not as hapless as they were pre 1987.

Most of us are loyal and devoted to Fiji but are pragmatic and realistic enough to have made some arrangements to move on to a country which will offer some security for the next generation should the likes of Rabuka, Qarase, Butadroka,Ravuvu and their ilk make us feel unwanted and unappreciated again.

Frankly most of us are tired of having to prove ourselves over and over again to be patriots as it seems nothing short of total subjugation submission and appeasement will satisfy these racists.

I say fair enough , let us be and we will have migrated to other shores in a few years.
Those 10% Indians left behind will be the elites like Khaiyum and Khans or those unable to move away because of age or health or criminal records.

Beware of who will fill the vacuum so do be careful of what one wishes for, it could happen in our lifetimes.

Privelleged indeed

11/3/2017 11:38:35 am

For more than 4 decades since independence, Fiji's privileged caste, the iTaukei have received affirmative action. They have been given preferential treatment in education, government employment, land rights, etc. but has that affirmative action done them good? Affirmative action is supposed to be a temporary measure to help historically disadvantaged groups (which the iTaukei are definitely not) to achieve parity with others. In fiji, that affirmative action has almost been permanent. Under the Bai/Khai regime, the biggest beneficiaries continue to be iTaukei (and Muslims- the Hindus continue to be excluded as they have Always been). What nazhat has said is very true.

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CASTING off masks: Racists, nationalists, hangers on, attack Nazhat Shameem's Privileged Caste comment while choosing to kiss Rabuka

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